Theatrical appliance



L. MCCORMICK. THEATRICAL APPLIANCE APPLICATION FILED OCT 5.191s.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

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APPLICAHON FILED. OCT 5. 191a.

1,350,6 14. Patented Aug. 24,1920.

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L. McCORMICK. THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

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L. McCORMICK. THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 5. 1918. 1,350,614.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

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LANGDON MCCORMICK, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

THEATRIGAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. .24, 1920.

Application filed October 5, 1918. Serial No. 257,031.

'from an audience.

In carrying out my invention on a large scale, it is essential that the ship or other object be so constructed as to gradually increase in size to produce the effect of the ship coming from afar off to a point immediately in front of the audience. One of the important objects of this invention is to proide a construction which will open or collapse to produce the illusionary eiiect of the ship getting larger or smaller as it comes toward or away from the audience.

In the apparatus representing the ship, the parts are so arranged that when collapsed or open, it approximates the same relative proportions, which when the ship is moved as a whole produces the effect of the ship actually sailing toward the audience.

1*. further object of the invention is to provide means for producing an illusionary sea effect tocooperate with the movable ship, the parts being so arranged as to convey the idea that as the ship approaches the audience the sea area in the rear increases, while the area in front of the ship appears to decrease. This effect is essential to carry the idea that the ship is actually sailing in the water.

Other oloiects and advantages will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings V Figure 1 is a conventionalside elevation showing the application of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed detail view of the truclr and a portion of the representation of a ship carried thereby.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the ship expanded.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the ship, the parts being in their normal or collapsed position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, the parts being expanded.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the base of the conning tower.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail view, the frame and the plates mounted thereon representing the cabin of the ship.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the frame and the stack sections, the parts being separated.

As the present invention relates more particularly to the ship construction, and the broad combination of same associated with the scenic apparatus for producing the sea effect, the latter arrangement will be but generally described, as the details thereof form the subi ect matter of my previous Patout No. 1,324,680,1390. 9, 1919.

The numeral 1 indicates a truck of approved construction. mounted on wheels 2, which travel on rails 3, placed onthe stage. The truck is provided with vertical guides 4 having slots 6, and operating in the guides are the ends of a base 7, the latter having ears 8. formed with threaded openings 9. Engaging in the threaded openings 9. are screws 10. provided at their lower ends with beveled pinions 11 meshing with similar pinions 12, on a transverse shaft 13 mounted on the truck. On the shaft 13 is a sprocket wheel 14:, connected by a chain 15, with a sprocket wheel 16. operated by a motor 19. This gearing is designed to raise the base, and the parts carried thereby. and is but a conventional illustration. it being evident that any appropriate gearing may be emplovcd to accomplish the desired result.

The base carries the collapsible and expansible representation of a ship, and the parts for operating same.

Fixed to the front of the base is a plate 20. shaped and painted to represent the bow of a war ship. Just in rear of the plate 2 is a horizontal guide rail 2l. on which slide two overlapping plates 22, movable in opposite directions. and shaped on their sides. and mat hed with the how plate to represent, in front view. the buing sides of the ship, while the upper e l cs are cut to form the outline of gun turets, from the inner end of the same left hand plate 22,

is a cable 30, which is extended to the end of the base 7, and is passed around a pulley 31, and its inner end is attached to the outer edge of the right hand plate 22 (looking from the rear).

By this means, when the shaft 29 is rotated, the cable 26 slowly withdraws one of the plates 22, and the latter pulling on the cable 30, withdraws the companion plate 22 in the opposite direction.

In rear of the plates 22, are vertical standards 32, provided with guideways 33 in which fits a sliding frame 34. To the upper front end of the frame 34 is attached a vertical plate 35, shaped and painted to represent a cabin, and at the front upper end thereof are lamps 36. Plate3'5 is arranged closely behind the plates 22 and extends above'same, and also above the bow plate 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The frame 34 is also provided with oppositely disposed upwardly inclined guideways 37, and correspondingly inclined tracks 38, provided with stops 39,- and from a point below the tracks are arms 40. Slidably mounted on the tracks and guideways are two oppositely disposed movable cabin plates 41, cut to approximately match up with the fixed cabin plate 35. To the left hand movable cabin plate 41 (looking from the rear) is attached a cable 42, which passes over a pul ley 43, on one of the arms 40, and is then extended downwardly and is permanently attached at 44, to a fixed part of the frame.

From the inner side of the left hand plate 41, (looking from the rear) extends a cable 45, which extends over a pulley 46, on the opposite arm 40, and its inner end is attached to the outer edge of the right hand plate 41 (looking from the rear). One end of the cable 47 is permanently attached at 44 to a fixed part of the frame, and it exextends downwardly and under a pulley 48, mounted at the lower end 'of the frame 34. From the pulley 48, the cable 47 is extended upwardly and passes around a pulley 49, mounted on a fixed part of the framework, and the cable is then lead downwardly and is Wound on a pulley 50, mounted on the shaft 29.

When the shaft 29 is rotated, it winds the cable 47 and as the outer end of the latter is fixed at 44, it follows that the loop around the pulley 48 will act to elevate the frame 34, which slowly projects the cabin plates above the bow and side plates. In addition to this vertical movement the raising of the frame imparts a lateral movement to the two movable cabin plates. As one end of the cable 42 is attached at 44, it follows that as the frame 34 is raised, the cable will be pulled, which draws the left hand cabin plate 41 outwardly (looking from the rear) and through the cable connection 45, the right hand cabin section is simultaneously drawn toward the right. In other words, the two movable cabin sections are drawn outwardly in opposite directions, and because of the inclination of the tracks and guideways, an upward inclined movement is imparted to said sections. This action produces the effect of a ship gradually coining closer and closer, the various cabin. sections being cut and inter-fitted and painted to depict to the audience the proper perspective of a massiveship.

The lower ends of the movable cabin plates fit in the guideways 37, while rollers 55 on the front of the sections roll on the tracks 38, the stops 39 being arranged to limit the outward movement of the parts.

In rear of the frame 34, are vertical standards having guideways 56, and slidably mounted therein is a slide 57. Fastened to the slide 57, is a framework 58, which is constructed and shaped to represent a conning tower, which extends far above the previously described plates, as shown at 59. T o the upper end of one of the standards having the guideways 56, is attached one end of a cable 60, which extends downwardly and passes under a pulley 61, mounted on the conning tower frame, and there extends up and over a guide pulley 62, on the opposite standard. From the pulley 62, the cable is trained down to the base where it is attached to and wound around a pulley 63 on a shaft 51.

lVhen the shaft 51 is rotated, it pulls the cable 60 and the loop therein, which receives the pulley 61, is drawn up, which elevates the conning tower to lend to the illusion the effect that the ship is approaching the audience. The upper end of the tower may be provided with suitable lamps, one being shown at 64.

Located in rear of the conning tower structure are standards having guideways 65, in which slides a frame 66. To the upper end of this frame is attached a fixed stack plate 67, shaped to represent the stack of the ship, and which extends above the cabin, as shown. This frame, in rear of the fixed stack plate, is provided with a transverse guideway 68, and projecting above the frame are arms 69, to which are secured a pair of transverse bars 70, which form braces and guides for the fixed stack plates, and movable stack plates 71. There are two normally overlapping movable stack plates 71, and their lower ends fit in the transverse guideway 68, while their upper ends fit between the fixed stack plate and one of the transverse bars 70. The movable stack plates are cut and shaped to form with the fixed stack plates a complete stack, when expanded, and their outer edges are shaped to represent funnels, the front of the plates of course being painted.

Secured to the base 7, are two bars 73, inclined in opposite directions and crossing each other, and which are fastened to the frame at 74, and are braced at their upper ends. Mounted on the movable stack plates 71 are guide rollers 74: which travel on the inclined bars 73 when the frame 66 is elevated to expand the movable stack plates.

One end of a cable 75 is fixed to the frame,

and is extended downwardly and under a.

pulley 7S, thence upwardly and over a pulley 79, and is led down and is attached to and wound on a pulley 80, on the shaft 51.

lVhen the shaft 51 is rotated, it pulls the cable 75, and the loop around the pulley 78, is drawn up which elevates the frame 66 which raises the stack plates. When the f 'ame is raised, the rollers 74: engage the in clined bars 7 3, which act as cams to spread the movable stack plates apart. This increases the width of the stack. and liliewise increases the width between the funnels.

if cable is attached to the frame66, and is passed around a pulley, and at its end it is provided with a weight 82, which slides in guideways 83. The weight acts as a counterbalance when the frame is elevated, as will be understood.

On the end of the shaft 29, is a pulley or drum S5, and wound around same is a cable 86, the end of which is attached to the truck. A similar pulley or drum 87, is mounted on the shaft 51, and wound around same is a cable 88, the outer end of which is secured to the truck, as shown. By this means rotary motion is imparted to the shafts 29-51 1 Y 1 1 11811 the base 4 is elevated, because as tne ends of the two cables 86 and 88 are fastened to the truck, it follows that the cables will unwind from the pulleys, and in so doing will rotate the shafts.

The scenic wave apparatus, as previously stated, is substantially the same as that shown and described in my co-pending application for patent, and it will be but briefly described. 90 indicates transverse frames which gradually increase in height, adjacent frames being connected by hinged sub-frames 91. Sheets of fabric 92, connect the rear upper portion of one frame with the top of the next succeeding frame. The truck is mounted between two of the frames, and the representation of the ship carried thereby extends up through an opening in the sheet of fabric, as shown. The rear frame 90, is fixed, and in front of the series of frames is a finishing block 98, the top surface of which inclines upwardly.

When in use, the parts are assembled on the stage, as shown in Fig. 1. That is, the frames 90 are set up around the truck carrying the ship, the frames in rear of the truck being collapsed, while the frames in front of the truck are expanded. The effect of this arrangement viewed from the audience is to produce the illusion that there is a vast sea area in front of the ship, while the sea in the rear appears to disappear and merge into the horizon. At the time the curtain on the stage is raised, the parts representing the ship are in their closed position, as

shown in Fig. 4. That is, the base is in its lowest position, and the plates representing the various parts of the ship are collapsed. Lamps are located above the stage to throw rays of light down on the scene, the light being shaded to represent with the painted surface of the fabric the sea.

The motor 19 is started, and through the gearing described, the truck is slowly moved forwardly, and simultaneously therewith the base 7 is slowly elevated. The forward movement of the truck collapses the frames 90, an attendant pulling the rope 98, to break the'points of the sub-frames to permit of the collapsing action. At the same time the frames 90, in rear of the truck, are moved forward and gradually open up.

When the base 7 rises in its guides, the shafts 29 and 51 are rotated which transmits the necessary movement to the various plates to gradually increase the size of the ship as it approaches the audience. The shaft 51, pulling on the cables 86 and S8 elevates the frame 66, which raises the stack plates, while the inclined bars 73 move the movable stack plates outwardly to increase the width of the stack, and at the same time the conning tower 59 is elevated. Simultaneously with these movements, the shaft 51 exerts a pull on the cable 75, which elevates the frame 34, carrying the cabin plates, the cables 42 and 45, acting to laterally expand the movable cabin plates on their guideways, and simultaneously with this movement-the cable 26, is pulled, which, with the cable 30, laterally withdraws the side plates 22. It follows from the foregoing description that all the plates forming the various ship sections are simultaneously expanded, which, with the forward movement of the ship, and the movement and arrangement of the representation of the sea, will produce the illusionary effect of the ship coming from a point afar off up to the audience. The ship not only enlarges as it approaches the front of the stage, but the representation of .the water apparatus is such that it gives plates in all-directions.

The cannon are exploded at intervals, and the lamps on the cabin and conning tower are placed at intervals to make the illusion more realistic, the cannon and lamps being electrically controlled at a point remote from the truck.

It is evident from the foregoingdescription that I have produced a practical means for producing the illusionary effect of a ship away off in the distance, and gradually coming dead ahead to the audience. To reverse the effect; that is, to represent a ship passing from a point directly in front of the audience to a point afar off, the action of the various plates would be reversed; consequently springs or the like would be provided for withdrawing the plates 71, 41, and 22, but for clearness these features have been omitted in the drawings.

What I claim is 1. In a theatrical apparatus for producing illusionary effects, the combination of a movable collapsible object, a structure representing an area in or on which the movable object travels, means for simultaneously moving the object and the area structure surrounding same in the same direction, and means for expanding or collapsing the object while being moved to produce the illusionary effect of the object moving on or in the area surrounding same.

2. A theatrical apparatus for producing illusionary effects, comprising an object mounted for bodily movement toward and from the observer, and means for varying all visible proportions of the object inversely .as the distance from the observer.

simulate parts of such object, and means whereby said plates may be moved relatively to one another to thereby actually vary the proportional visibility of such parts at will.

5, In a theatrical appliance for producing illusionary effects, the combination of a support, a representation of a ship on the sup- 7 port, comprising a base, a fixed front plate on the base, two side plates slidable above the base in rear of the fixed plate, slidable frames in rear of the side plates, plates representing parts of the ship attached to the frames, laterally slidable plates mounted on the frames, a frame carrying the representation of a conning tower, and means .for operating the frames and the various plates to increase or decrease the size of the ship to produce the illusionary effect of the ship moving.

6. In a theatrical appliance for producing illusionary effects, the combination of a support, a representation of a ship on the support, comprising a base, a fixed front plate on thebase, two side plates slidable above the base in rear of the fixed plate, slidable frames in rear of the side plates, plates representing parts of the ship attached to the frames, laterally slidable plates mounted on the frames, a frame carrying the representation of a conning tower, and means for simultaneously operating the frames and the various plates and raising the ship to increase or decrease the size of the ship to produce the illusionary effect ofthe ship moving.

7., In a theatrical appliance, the combination of the representation of a ship comprising a fixed front plate, movable side plates, a vertically movable slide, the representation of a conning tower secured to the movable slide, a vertically movable frame, a plate secured to said frame to represent a part of a cabin, other plates slidably mounted on the frame to represent the sides of the cabin, a second movable frame, a fixed plate secured thereto to represent a stack, other plates slidably mounted on the second mentioned frame to represent the sides of the stack, means for vertically bodily moving the representation of the ship, and means for simultaneously moving the frames and also sliding the plates supported thereon.

8. A theatrical appliance comprisin the representation. of a ship including a fixed plate, slidable frames, plates representing parts of the ship slidably mounted on the frames, other slidable plates representing parts of the ship, cables for operating the frames and slidable plates, means for bodily raising the representation of the ship, and connections with said means and the cables to operate the latter.

9. In a theatrical appliance, the combination of a truck having guideways, a repre sentation of a ship mounted in the guideways and comprising a fixed plate, a plurality of frames carrying plates fixed thereto and. a plurality of slidable plates, other slidable plates, means for operating the frames and the slidable plates including .fixed inclined bars and rollers projecting from a pair of plates to engage said bars, and means for bodily raising the representation of the ship.

10. A theatrical appliance comprising a body representing a movable object and including a plurality of plates, certain of the plates being vertically and laterally movable, means for vertically moving said latter plates, means including fixed angularly disposed bars and rollers extending from said plates and engaging said bars to laterally move said plates, and means for bodily moving the body at the time the plates are vertically and laterally moved.

11. A theatrical appliance comprising a body representing a movable object including a plurality of plates and frames, certain of said plates carried on the frame being laterally movable, guides on the frames in which the plates slide, cables connecting the slidable plates, cables for moving the frames, means for bodily raising the body, and connections between the last mentioned means and the cables to actuate the frames and the plates.

12. A theatrical appliance comprising a body representing a movable object including a fixed plate, a plurality of frames carrying plates and slidable plates in rear of the fixed plate, a tower secured to one of the frames, cables for ope'ating the frames and the slidable plates, means for bodily moving the body, and connections between the last mentioned means and the cables for actuating the frames and the slidable plates.

13. A theatrical appliance comprising a frame, a body including a fixed plate, a plurality of vertical guides in rear of the fixed plate, frames slidably mounted in the vertical guides, plates secured to the frames, plates slidably mounted on the frames, cables secured at one end to the frame and looped around the frames, pulleys around which the cables pass, means for bodily raisin the body, and connections between the last mentioned means and the pulleys for rotating the latter.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LANGDON McCOR-MICK. lVitnesses M. B. BERLER, R. NELSON. 

